Method and apparatus for managing communications within a distributed network

ABSTRACT

Some embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus for managing communications within a distributed network. According to some embodiments of the invention, the apparatus may include a communication management module and a synchronization module. The communication management module may be operatively coupled to a communication module belonging to the distributed network. The communication management module may be adapted to allocate for each communication within the network a communication frame comprised of a predetermined number of timeslots. The communication management module may configure the communication module coupled thereto to repeat a communication at one or more of the timeslots of the frame allocated for the communication. The timeslots may, for example, be equal in length and may each correspond to a predetermined fraction of the length of a communication frame. The synchronization module may be adapted to synchronize frames across the distributed network, either directly or indirectly. According to further embodiments of the invention, the synchronization module may be adapted to bit synchronize the communication module.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of wirelesscommunication networks. More specifically, the present invention relatesto a method and an apparatus for managing communications within adistributed network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In some distributed systems, such as distributed command and controlsystems, for example, it is known to implement a wireless network inorder to enable a central unit (e.g., a command and control unit) tocommunicate with the physically removed functional units. In order forthe distributed system to operate, the command and control unit and eachof the functional units (e.g. transceivers) must be able to communicatewith one another. For this purpose, a transceiver is commonly coupled toeach functional unit to enable the functional units to exchange data,such as control signals or operation parameters, with the central unitand vice-versa.

Unfortunately, experience has shown, that the above described networkstructure does not perform efficiently in many cases. For example, ifthe distance between a certain transceiver and a central unit is toogreat, or if there is some other disturbance or obstacle disturbing orpreventing communications between the transceiver (and the functionalunit coupled thereto) and the central unit, the exchange of data betweenthe central unit and the functional unit will be hampered, as well asthe operation of the system as a whole.

Theoretically, each transceiver has the ability to receive and transmitcommunications arriving from one of the other transceivers within thenetwork. Therefore, it would seem, that a transceiver (or a sequence oftransceivers) that is within range of the central unit may be used as arelay for a transceiver(s) that is too distant to directly communicatewith the central unit. The relay transceiver(s), in this case, willreceive from the too distant transceiver communications intended to thecentral unit and will retransmit the communications to the central unit,and vice-versa, if necessary. Similarly, it would seem, that atransceiver (or a sequence of transceivers) in communication with acentral unit might be used to provide an alternative communication pathbetween a certain transceiver and the central unit, in case the directcommunication path between the transceiver and the central unit isblocked or otherwise interrupted.

Unfortunately, in many cases this solution is unsuitable. Without theaddition of resources and suitable logic, each transceiver willretransmit a communication received from another transmitter without anycontrol or restriction and with no synchronization with the othertransceivers. The retransmitted signal may be received by the othertransceivers and retransmitted over and over again. Consequently, manyof the network's communication paths will soon become congested,significantly reducing the network's performance, and preventing thetransceivers from retransmitting additional communications.

In order to overcome some of these problems, it has been suggested toadd routers to the network. Routers are used, for example, as anintermediate relay, positioned between an otherwise too distanttransceiver(s) and a central unit, to enable the transceiver(s) and thecentral unit to communicate over enhanced distances, and/or to create analternative communication path to bypass interference in thecommunication path between a certain transceiver(s) and the centralunit.

Routers however, are usually substantially more complex than thetransceivers coupled to the functional units and must include additionalprocessing and memory resources. In addition, routers usually includesubstantially sophisticated logic, which is not necessary intransceivers. This complexity is translated not only to a substantiallyhigher cost, but also to a more complex setup. Thus, the introduction ofrouters into a wireless network entails increased costs and necessitatesa professional installation and setup, as well as maintenance, whichincrease costs even further.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is thus a need for a system, method and device to enable one ormore nodes within a network to communicate with one or more other nodeswithin the network which cannot be reached with via a directtransmission, for example, since the destination nodes are distant, orin another example, since the there is some local interference blockinga direct transmission to the destination node. There is a further needfor such a system, method and device which implement relativelyinexpensive resources.

Some embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus formanaging communications within a distributed network. According to someembodiments of the invention, the apparatus may include a communicationmanagement module and a synchronization module. The communicationmanagement module may be operatively coupled to a communication modulebelonging to the distributed network. The communication managementmodule may be adapted to allocate for each communication within thenetwork a communication frame comprised of a predetermined number oftimeslots. The communication management module may configure thecommunication module coupled thereto to repeat a communication at one ormore of the timeslots of the frame allocated for the communication. Thetimeslots may, for example, be equal in length and may each correspondto a predetermined fraction of the length of a communication frame. Thesynchronization module may be adapted to synchronize frames across thedistributed network, either directly or indirectly. According to furtherembodiments of the invention, the synchronization module may be adaptedto bit synchronize the communication module.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the communicationmanagement module may be adapted to configure the communication moduleto repeat a communication at one or more timeslots of a frame subsequentto the initial transmission of the communication. The communicationmanagement module may also be adapted to configure the communicationmodule to transmit a new communication at the first timeslot of theframe allocated for that communication. The communication managementmodule may be further adapted to configure the communication module torepeat a communication received during a certain frame at one or moretimeslots subsequent to the receipt of the communication.

The communication management module may be adapted to configure thecommunication module to repeat a communication up-to the end of theframe allocated for the communication. The communication managementmodule may be adapted to configure the communication module to repeat acommunication up-to a predetermined timeslot or until an indication isreceived that the communication was repeated by another communicationmodule, other than by a communication module from which thecommunication was received. The communication management module isadapted to configure the communication module to alter the amplitude ofeach repeated communication. The communication management module may beadapted to configure the communication module to randomly alter theamplitude of each repeated communication.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the communicationmanagement module may be further adapted to switch the communicationmodule to a listening mode following a transmission of a communication.The communication management module may be adapted to maintain thecommunication module in the listening mode for a predetermined number oftimeslots. The communication management module may be adapted tomaintain the communication module in the listening mode during at leasttwo timeslots.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the apparatus mayfurther include a storage medium. The communication management modulemay be adapted to temporarily store a communication transmitted by thecommunication module while the communication module is in the listeningmode.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the communicationmanagement module may adapted to instruct the communication module torepeat a communication transmitted by the communication module only incase no indication is received while the communication module is in thelistening mode that the communication was transmitted by anothercommunication module, other than by a communication module from whichthe communication was received. The communication management module maybe adapted to switch the communication module to a standby mode in casean indication is received that a communication transmitted by thecommunication module was transmitted by another communication module,other than the communication module from which the communication wasreceived, or beyond a predefined timeslot.

According to some embodiments of the preset invention, the communicationmanagement module may be adapted to include in each communication framea selected number of functional timeslots and a predefined number ofbuffer timeslots which may be the concluding timeslots of the frame. Thecommunication management module may be adapted to select the number offunctional timeslots to be included in each communication frame inaccordance with the number of repetitions determined to be required todeliver the communication to its destination. The communicationmanagement module may be adapted to select the number of functionaltimeslots to be included in each communication frame in accordance withthe number of repetitions determined to be required to deliver thecommunication to a central unit within the network. The communicationmanagement module may be adapted to adjust the number of functionaltimeslots to be included in each communication frame in case the numberof timeslots required for delivering the communication to the centralunit changes. The communication management module may be adapted toadjust the number of functional timeslots to be included in eachcommunication frame in case one or more of the buffer timeslots is usedto deliver the communication to its destination.

Further embodiments of the present invention relate to a method ofmanaging communications within a distributed network. According to someembodiments of the present invention, the method of managingcommunication within the distributed network may include bitsynchronizing each of a plurality of communication modules within thedistributed network, allocating for each communication within thenetwork a communication frame comprised of a predetermined number oftimeslots, and configuring each of the plurality of communicationmodules within the network to repeat the communication at one or moretimeslots of the communication frame allocated for the communication.

Yet further embodiments of the present invention relate to a system formanaging communications within a distributed network. According to someembodiments of the present invention, the system may include two or morecommunication management modules and two or more synchronizationmodules. Each of the communication management modules may be adapted toallocate for each communication within the network a communication framecomprised of a predetermined number of timeslots. Each of thecommunication management modules may be further adapted to configure acommunication module operatively coupled thereto to repeat acommunication at one or more of the timeslots of the frame allocated forthe communication. Each of the two or more synchronization modules maybe operatively connectable to a communication module. The two or moresynchronization modules may be adapted to synchronize frames between thecommunication modules operatively connected thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carriedout in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way ofnon-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 which is a block diagram illustration of a node including acommunication module and an apparatus for managing communications withina distributed network, in accordance with some embodiments of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2A is a flowchart illustration of a method of managingcommunications within a distributed network, in accordance with someembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a flow chart illustration of some aspects of the method ofmanaging communications within a distributed network, in accordance withsome embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is block diagram illustration of a simplified model ofdistributed network 10 comprised of a plurality of nodes, each includingan apparatus for managing communications within the distributed network,according to some embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustration of a distributed network in whichthe apparatus in accordance with some embodiments of the presentinvention is implemented;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustration of a process of determining theinitial number of timeslots to be included in a communication frame, aspart of some embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustration of a process of dynamically adjustingthe number of timeslots to be included in a communication frame, as partof some embodiments of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration,elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale.For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggeratedrelative to other elements for clarity. Further, where consideredappropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures toindicate corresponding or analogous elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are setforth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention.However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that thepresent invention may be practiced without these specific details. Inother instances, well-known methods, procedures, components and circuitshave not been described in detail so as not to obscure the presentinvention.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the followingdiscussions, it is appreciated that throughout the specificationdiscussions utilizing terms such as “processing”, “computing”,“calculating”, “determining”, “generating”, “assigning” or the like,refer to the action and/or processes of a computer or computing system,or similar electronic computing device, that manipulate and/or transformdata represented as physical, such as electronic, quantities within thecomputing system's registers and/or memories into other data similarlyrepresented as physical quantities within the computing system'smemories, registers or other such information storage, transmission ordisplay devices.

Embodiments of the present invention may include apparatuses forperforming the operations herein. This apparatus may be speciallyconstructed for the desired purposes, or it may comprise a generalpurpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computerprogram stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored ina computer readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, anytype of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs,magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random accessmemories (RAMs) electrically programmable read-only memories (EPROMs),electrically erasable and programmable read only memories (EEPROMs),magnetic or optical cards, or any other type of media suitable forstoring electronic instructions, and capable of being coupled to acomputer system bus.

The processes and displays presented herein are not inherently relatedto any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general purposesystems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachingsherein, or it may prove convenient to construct a more specializedapparatus to perform the desired method. The desired structure for avariety of these systems will appear from the description below. Inaddition, embodiments of the present invention are not described withreference to any particular programming language. It will be appreciatedthat a variety of programming languages may be used to implement theteachings of the inventions as described herein.

Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which is a block diagram illustrationof a node including a communication module and an apparatus for managingcommunications within a distributed network, in accordance with someembodiments of the present invention. As part of some embodiments of thepresent invention, each node within a distributed network (not shown),of which the node 15 is part of, may include a communication module 30and a copy of the apparatus 100 for managing a communication module. Aspart of some embodiments of the present invention, the communicationmodule 30 may be utilized to communicate with one or more of the othernodes in the network. The communication module 30 may be operativelycoupled to the apparatus for managing the communication module 100according to some embodiments of the present invention. In accordancewith some embodiments of the present invention, each copy of theapparatus 100 may be adapted to control some aspects of the operation ofthe communication module 30 coupled thereto, as will be described ingreater detail hereinbelow.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, eachapparatus 100 for managing a communication module may include acommunication management module 110 and a synchronization module 120.Reference is now additionally made to FIG. 2A, which is a flowchartillustration of a method of managing communications within a distributednetwork, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, thesynchronization module 120 may be adapted to synchronize thecommunication module 30 with each of the other communication moduleswithin the distributed network (block 210). For example, in accordancewith some embodiments of the present invention, each copy of theapparatus 100 may utilize the synchronization module 120 includedtherein to synchronize the communication module 30 coupled thereto witheach and all of the other communication modules within the distributednetwork.

In accordance with further embodiments, the synchronization module 120may be utilized in a manner to maintain the bit synchronization of thecommunication modules 30 within the communication network. For example,the synchronization module 120 may be utilized before each allocation ofa communication frame. In accordance with another example, thesynchronization module 120 may be utilized routinely at predefined timeintervals and/or whenever a predefined criterion or criteria is met, forexample, whenever a time offset between the communication modules growsbeyond a predetermined threshold. Various synchronization methods ortechniques known in the present or yet to be devised in the future maybe implemented in the synchronization module 120 and may be utilized bythe synchronization module 120 to synchronize the communication module30 coupled thereto with the other communication modules within thenetwork and to maintain the communication modules at a substantiallysynchronized state, including, but not limited to, the adjustment of anadjustable clock 125 operatively coupled to each of the communicationmodules. Additional aspects of the synchronization of the communicationmodules according to some embodiments of the present invention shall bediscussed in greater detail herein below.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, thecommunication management module 110 may be adapted to allocate for eachcommunication within the network 10 a communication frame comprised of apredetermined number of timeslots (block 220). The communicationmanagement module 110 may be further adapted to configure thecommunication module 30 coupled thereto to repeat a communication at oneor more of the timeslots of the frame allocated for that communication(block 230), as will be described in greater detail below. In accordancewith some embodiments of the present invention, each communication framemay correspond to a predetermined amount of time. The timeslots may beequal in length to one another and may correspond to a predeterminedfraction of the length of a communication frame. In accordance with someembodiments, since each of the communication modules 30 within thedistributed network is synchronized with each and all of the othercommunication modules within the distributed network, the beginning ofeach allocated frame, as well as of each timeslot of each frame, may besynchronized throughout the network.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which is a block diagram illustrationof a simplified model of distributed network 10 comprised of a pluralityof nodes, each including an apparatus for managing communications withinthe distributed network, according to some embodiments of the invention.Each node 15 within the network 10 may include or be associated with theapparatus 100 for managing communications within the network. Each node15 within the network may also include at least a communication module30, and the apparatus for managing communications within the network 100may be operatively coupled to the communication module 30. As part ofsome embodiments, the communication modules 30 may be any presentlyknown or yet to be devised in the future transceiver(s) or similarcommunication device or devices capable of transmitting communicationsto each of the other nodes 15, either directly or indirectly, andcapable of receiving communications from each of the other nodes 15,either directly or indirectly. According to some embodiments of thepresent invention, each (copy of the) apparatus 100 may be adapted tomanage some aspects of the operation of the communication module 30coupled thereto as described throughout the specification.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, thedistributed network 10 may include a central unit 20. The central unit20 may include a communication module 30 and a copy of the apparatus 100for managing communications within the network according to someembodiments of the present invention. According to some embodiments ofthe present invention, the central unit 20 may be configured to manageand control some aspects of the operation of the other nodes 15 and maybe utilized to collect data from the other nodes 15. For example, thecentral unit 20 and the other nodes 15, may be configured such thatduring normal operation mode, a node 15 is allowed to communicate onlyin response to a communication received from the central unit 20. Inaccordance with some embodiments of the present invention, the centralunit 20 may control the communication traffic within the network duringnormal operation mode in a manner to allow only one of the other nodesto communicate at any given time. It should be noted that it is possiblethat the network 10 and each of the nodes 15 within the network,including the central unit 20 may, in accordance with some embodimentsof the invention, be configured to operate in accordance with otheroperation modes, for example, a synchronization mode, a configurationmode, etc., and that during such other operation modes othercommunication rules may apply. It should also be noted that during anyof these modes or during any other modes, the network may operate inaccordance with the same communication rules which where discussed abovewith reference to the normal operation mode.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, eachcommunication from the central unit 20 during the normal operation modemay be addressed to a specific node 15 within the network. According toyet further embodiments of the present invention, while the network isin normal operation mode, each of the nodes 15 within the network 10(excluding the central unit 20) may be configured to transmit acommunication over the network 10 only in response to a communication tothat effect received from the central unit 20 and addressed to thatnode. For example, the central unit 15 may transmit a communication(during the frame allocated for that communication) to a specific node,instructing that node to provide the central unit certain data. Uponreceiving the communication from the central unit 15, the destinationnode may retrieve the data requested by the central unit, and maytransmit the data back to the central unit 20 at the first timeslot of aframe allocated for that communication. According to other embodimentsof the present invention, the central unit 20 may include additionalcircuitry and/or software to enable the central unit 20 to control theother nodes or units 15 or to collect data from the other nodes or units15.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, thecentral unit 20 may be adapted to determine the length of each framethat is to be allocated for each communication within the network. Inaccordance with further embodiments of the present invention, thecentral unit may be adapted to determine the number of timeslots to beincluded in each frame allocated for each communication within thenetwork. In accordance with some embodiments of the present inventionthe central unit 20 may be adapted to determine the number of timeslotsto be included in each frame, in accordance with the number ofrepetitions necessary for delivering a communication to and/or from anyof the other nodes in the network.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, as part ofdetermining the number of timeslots to be allocated for eachcommunication within the network, the central unit 20 may initiate aconfiguration process aimed at determining the number of repetitionsnecessary for delivering a communication to and/or from any of the othernodes in the network. In accordance with one, non-limiting, exemplaryembodiment of the present invention, as part of the configurationprocess, the central unit 20 may serially transmit to each of the nodes15 within the network a communication, to which the node may berequested to respond by transmitting back to the central unit 20 anacknowledge message. The central unit 20 may either instruct (throughthe communication) each of the nodes 15 to include in the acknowledgecommunication the timeslot number during which the communication fromthe central unit was received, and/or (either alternatively or inaddition), the central unit 20 may determine at which timeslot of thesubsequent frame the acknowledge communication was received at thecentral unit 20. In case, for whatever reason, the central unit 20 doesnot receive an acknowledge communication during the subsequent frame,the central unit 20 may increase the number of timeslots included ineach frame and may repeat the communication until an acknowledgecommunication is received at the subsequent frame from that node 15.This process may be repeated for each node within the network 10. Oncethe central unit 20 receives the acknowledge communication from all thenodes, it may determine what number of repetitions is necessary to allowthe central unit to communicate with each of the nodes 15 and/or whatnumber of repetitions is necessary to allow each of the nodes 15 tocommunicate with the central unit 20.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, thedistributed network 10 may be, for example, any kind of a command andcontrol network. An example of a command and control network may includeany network including a plurality of nodes associated with a centralcommand and control node (for example, the central unit 20). Anon-limiting example of a command and control network may be aslave/master network, wherein the central command and control unit isthe master and each of the other nodes is a slave. Typically, in adistributed network, the command and control unit will be responsiblefor managing the operation of the other nodes and may communicate withthe nodes for purposes of providing the nodes with operationalinstructions and/or to retrieve from the node or from the devicesattached to the nodes operational data and parameters, as well as forother purposes.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, thecentral unit 20 may be a specific predetermined and fixed node withinthe network 10. However, some embodiments of the present invention arenot limited in this respect, and rather, in accordance with someembodiments of the present invention, the central unit 20 may be adynamic network entity which may reside with two or more (e.g. each) ofthe nodes at different periods of time. In accordance with theseembodiments of the present invention, the function of the central unitmay be passed on amongst two or more of the nodes 15.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, thecommunication management module 110 may be adapted to allocate framesroutinely one after the other, such that when a frame ends thecommunication management module 110 allocates, either immediately, orafter a predetermined amount of time, the next frame. The communicationmanagement module 110 may be configured to include a certain pausebetween subsequent frames, for example, in order to allow the receivingnode to process the received communication and to generate a response(in case it is necessary) to the communication. The length of the pausein-between frames may be predefined. The length of the pause in-betweenframes may be dynamically adjusted, for example, by the central unit 20if a response received from one of the other nodes 15 is incoherent orunintelligible or in case such an extension is requested by one of thenodes. In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention,the communication management module 110 may be adapted to allocate aframe only in response to a certain event, for example, following thereceipt of a communication. In accordance with yet further embodimentsof the present invention, the communication management module 110 may beadapted to allocate a frame only in response to the receipt of acommunication from the central unit 20. This may be the case, forexample, in some master/slave networks, wherein the central unit 20 (themaster) is the initiator of all communications within the network 10,and each of the other nodes 15 is configured to transmit a communicationonly in response to a communication received from the central unit 20.In this case, the communication management module of the central units20 may have a different configuration from all the other communicationmanagement modules in the network, and may be capable of allocating acommunication frame independently (and not only in response to acommunication received at the central unit.

In accordance with yet further embodiments of the present invention, thecommunication management module 110 may be adapted to allocate less (ormore) than a complete sub frame for various kinds of communicationswithin the network. For example, for communications from the centralunit to (one of) the other nodes, only some portion of a complete framemay be allocated. In another example, the controller 110 may be adaptedto allocate service frames for communications between two or more nodes15 (including with the command and control unit 20), for example, inorder to enable the copies of the controller 110 to update one anotherwith various operational data and/or in order to collect operationaldata, for example. In accordance with some embodiments of the presentinvention, during the service frames the communication managementmodules 110 may be configured to allow more than one communication to betransmitted and/or repeated within the network.

It should be noted that one or more components of the apparatus 100 formanaging communications within the distributed network, may beimplemented as part of the central unit and may be associated with morethan one communication module 15, while retaining its functionality.Thus, it should be further noted, that throughout the specification andthe claims, any reference made to a central apparatus for managingcommunications within a distributed network or to a central component ofsuch apparatus may be replaceable with a plurality of copies of the sameapparatus or of the same components which reside on or are operativelycoupled to each node within the network and vice-versa.

As mentioned above, following the allocation of a frame including apredefined number of timeslots for a certain communication (block 220),the communication management module 110 may be further adapted toconfigure the communication module 30 coupled thereto to repeat acommunication at one or more of the timeslots of the frame allocated forthat communication (block 230). In accordance with some embodiments ofthe present invention, each communication management module 110 may beadapted to configure the communication module 30 coupled thereto, totransmit a new communication at the first timeslot of the frameallocated for that communication.

In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, eachcommunication management module 110 may be adapted to configure thecommunication module 30 coupled thereto to repeat a communication at oneor more of the timeslots of the frame allocated for that communicationfollowing the initial transmission of the communication. In accordancewith further embodiments of the present invention, each communicationmanagement module may be adapted to configure the communication module30 coupled thereto to repeat a communication up-to the end of the frame.In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, eachcommunication management module 110 may be adapted to configure thecommunication module coupled thereto to repeat a communication up-to apredetermined timeslot of the frame allocated for the communication.

In accordance with yet further embodiments of the present invention,each communication management module 110 may be adapted to configure thecommunication module 30 coupled thereto to repeat a communication at oneor more of the timeslots of the frame allocated for that communication,whether it is associated with the node which originated thecommunication or whether it is associated with one of the other nodes.In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, in case acommunication is received at one of the nodes (not the node whichoriginated the communication) during a certain timeslot, thecommunication management module 110 of that node may be adapted toconfigure the communication module 30 coupled thereto to repeat thereceived communication at one or more timeslots of the frame subsequentto the receipt of the communication. In accordance with furtherembodiments of the present invention, the communication managementmodule 110 may be adapted to configure the communication module 30coupled thereto to repeat a communication up-to a predetermined timeslotor until an indication is received that the communication was repeatedby another communication module, other than by a communication modulefrom which the communication was received.

Reference is now additionally made to FIG. 2B, which is a flow chartillustration of some aspects of the method of managing communicationswithin a distributed network, in accordance with some embodiments of thepresent invention. In accordance with some embodiments of the presentinvention, a communication may be received at a certain communicationmodule 30 associated with a certain node 15 (block 240). Once thecommunication is received by the communication module, the communicationmanagement module 110 associated with the receiving node 15 and coupledto the receiving communication module 30 may be adapted to determinewhether there are any timeslots available for repeating thecommunication (block 250). For example, as part of determining whetherthere are any timeslots available for repeating the communication, thecommunication management module 110 may determine whether thecommunication was received before a predetermined timeslot of the frameallocated for that communication, after which, the communication module30 may not be not allowed to repeat the communication (for example,after the last timeslot of the frame allocated for the communication).

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, in case itis determined that the communication was received beyond a predeterminedtimeslot and that there are no available timeslots for repeating thecommunication, the communication management module 110 may switch thecommunication module 30 coupled thereto to a standby mode until the endof the frame (block 260). In accordance with some embodiments of thepresent invention, while in the standby mode, the communication module30 may remain passive or inactive and may only receive communicationsbeing propagated through the network 10.

However, in accordance with further embodiments of the presentinvention, if at block 250 it is determined that there are one or moretimeslots or at least a predefined number of timeslots available forrepeating the communication, for example, in the case where thecommunication was received before a predetermined timeslot, thecommunication management module 110 may configure the communicationmodule 30 coupled thereto to repeat the communication at one or moresubsequent timeslots (block 270). In accordance with some embodiments ofthe present invention, after the one or more repetitions of thecommunication, the communication management module 110 may be adapted toswitch the communication module 30 coupled thereto to a listening mode(block 280). In accordance with some embodiments of the presentinvention, during the listening mode, the communication managementmodule 110 may temporarily store the communication in a memory 130operatively coupled to the communication management module 110. Forexample, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention,upon receiving a communication and determining that there are availabletimeslots for repeating the communication, the communication managementmodule 110 may configure the communication module 30 coupled thereto torepeat the communication at the next timeslot, and at the timeslotimmediately following the transmission of the repeated communication,the controller may switch the communication module to the listeningmode. In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention,the communication management module 110 may be configured to maintainthe communication module 30 coupled thereto in the listening mode forthe duration of at least two timeslots following the transmission of acommunication. By maintaining a transmitting communication module 30 inthe listening mode during at least the two timeslots following thetransmission of the communication, the next repeating communicationmodule 30 thus may have at least one “clean” timeslot for repeating thecommunication, after which it may also switch to the listening mode.While in the listening mode the communication module 30 may listen forrepetitions of the communication other than by the unit from which itreceived the communication. If while it is in the listening mode, the(next) repeating module does not receive an indication that thecommunication was repeated by one or more of the other communicationmodules (other than the communication module from which it received thecommunication) it may repeat the communication after the listening modeends and it may repeat this procedure up to the end of the frame. Thisway the communication management module 110 may improve the chances ofthe transmission being propagated, as will be explained below.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, while thecommunication module 30 is in the listening mode, the communicationmanagement module 110 in cooperation with the communication module 30coupled thereto may be adapted to listen to communications beingpropagated over the network to detect repeated transmissions of thecommunication (block 290). The repeated transmissions may be indicativeof the communication being received and repeated by one or more of theother nodes 15. In accordance with some embodiments of the presentinvention, in case the communications management module 110 determinesthat the communication was repeated by another node (during thelistening mode), the communication management module may be adapted toswitch the communication module 30 coupled thereto to the standby mode(block 260).

According to some embodiments of the present invention, eachcommunication management module 110 may be adapted to include in themetadata (or elsewhere) of each communication an ID corresponding to thenode 15 from which the communication is about to be transmitted. Inaccordance with further embodiments of the present invention, whenever acommunication is received by a communication module 30, thecommunication management module 110 attached to that communicationmodule 30 may be configured to determine from which node thecommunication is received. In accordance with further embodiments of thepresent invention, the communication management module 110 may beconfigured to switch the communication module 30 coupled thereto to thestandby mode, only if the communications management module 110determines that the communication was repeated by another node (duringthe listening mode) other than the node from which the communication wasreceived in the first place.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, if atblock 290 during the time that the communication module is kept in thelistening mode, no indication is received that the communication wasrepeated by another communication module, the communication managementmodule 110 might return to block 250 and determine whether there are anytimeslots available for repeating the communication once again. Inaccordance with further embodiments of the present invention, thecommunication management module 110 might return to block 250 also incase that the only indication of a repeated transmission of thecommunication is received from the node from which the communication wasreceived in the first place. In accordance with some embodiments of thepresent invention, each communication management module 110 may beadapted to add or to inject to each transmission, various data relatingto various network information and/or transmission information,including, but not limited to, data relating to the identity of thetransmitting communication module or to the node from which thecommunication is transmitted. The data relating to the transmittingcommunication module (or node) may enable each of the communicationmanagement modules of the nodes which are in receipt of thetransmission, to determine which communication module or nodetransmitted the communication. In accordance with further embodiments ofthe present invention, the communication management module 110 may beconfigured to inject additional data to each transmission within thenetwork.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, one ormore timeslots may pass between the time a communication is transmittedby one node and the repeated transmission of the communication isdetected at another node (for example, at the node from which thecommunication was received at the transmitting node). Therefore, beforeeach repetition of the communication, the communication managementmodule 110 may be adapted to determine whether there is still asufficient number of timeslots available for repeating the communicationagain (block 270) and/or for switching the communication module 30 tothe listening mode again (block 280).

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, if it isdetermined at block 290, that there is not a sufficient number oftimeslots available to repeat the communication once again, thecommunication management module 110 may switch the communication module30 coupled thereto to the standby mode until the end of the frame (block260). If, however, it is determined that there is still some number(including one) of timeslots available for repeating the communication,the communications management module 110 may be adapted to instruct thecommunication module 30 coupled thereto to repeat the communicationagain, and if there is a sufficient amount of timeslots available, mayswitch the communication module 30 to the listening mode again followingthe transmission of the communication (block 280).

In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, if atblock 250 it is determined that there is a sufficient number oftimeslots available for repeating the communication but not forswitching the communication module 30 to the listening module, thecommunication management module 110 may be adapted to instruct thecommunication module 30 coupled thereto to repeat the communication andmay switch the communication module 30 to the standby mode immediatelyfollowing the repeating of the communication without switching thecommunication module 30 to the listening mode. In accordance with yetfurther embodiments of the present invention, the communicationmanagement module 110 may be adapted to skip the listening mode for avariety of other reasons and in accordance with further criteria and foronly some of the communication modules or for all of them and only inresponse to some events or to none at all.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, in somecases, even though an indication is received at block 290 that thecommunication was repeated while the communication module was in thelistening mode, the communication management module 110 may beconfigured to return to block 250 to determine whether there aresufficient available timeslots to repeat the communication again. Someembodiments of the present invention relating to such cases, werediscussed above with greater detail and may include, for example, arepeated transmission in case the only indication of a repeatedtransmission relates to a repetition by the communication module fromwhich the communication was received.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, thecontroller 110 may be adapted to maintain the communication module inlistening mode for a duration, which corresponds to two or moretimeslots following each transmission or repetition of a communication.It should be noted that in accordance with some embodiments of thepresent invention, that by waiting two timeslots or more it is possiblefor each of the communication management modules 100 to listen forcommunications from the other nodes and to verify that the communicationwas repeated and letting that other unit verify that a third unit hasrepeated its transmission.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, in somecases, at a given point in time, two or more pending communications mayexist within the network. Since, in accordance with some embodiments ofthe present invention, during any frame only the communication for whichthe frame was allocated is allowed, a priority may be required in orderto determine the order by which frames are to be allocated for the twoor more pending communications. Thus, in accordance with someembodiments of the present invention, whenever a communicationmanagement module 110 detects that a new communication is created at thenode 15 with which it is associated, the communication management module110 may be configured to check with the other communication managementmodule 110 within the network, whether there are any other pendingcommunications competing for the next frame. In accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention, the communication managementmodules 110 and the nodes at which a pending communication exist maytogether or collectively decide on the priority and allocate thecommunication frames accordingly. It should be noted that in accordancewith further embodiments of the present invention other method ortechniques may be used to determine the situation, which may occur insome embodiments of the present invention, wherein two or more pendingcommunications are compete over a certain communication frame. Asmentioned above, the communication management modules 110 may beconfigured to check for competing pending communications in-betweenframes, and a specific service frame may be allocated to this end.However, as mentioned above, in accordance with some embodiments of thepresent invention, each of the communication management modules 110 maybe allowed to initiate a communication only in response to acommunication received from a central unit 20. In accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention, the central unit's communicationmanagement module 110 may be configured to allow for communications withonly one node at any point in time.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, eachcommunication frame may correspond to a specific period of time. Inaccordance with further embodiments of the present invention, thetimeslots may be equal to one another, and the duration of each timeslotmay be equal to a predefined fraction of the length of the frame. Inaccordance with some embodiments of the present invention, thecommunication management module 110 may be adapted to modify from timeto time the length of each frame in accordance with various networkoperation parameters or in accordance with other criteria. Also, inaccordance with further embodiments of the present invention, the numberof timeslots included in each frame may be modified from time to time,as will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, theapparatus 100 may further include a memory (a storage medium, forexample) 130. In accordance with some embodiments of the presentinvention, whenever a communication is received, the communicationmanagement module 110 may be adapted to forward the received data to thememory 130 for temporary storage. Next, in case the communicationmanagement module 110 determines that the received transmission is to berepeated, the management module 110 may retrieve the data from thememory 130 and may cause the communication module 30 to transmit thedata at the start of a subsequent timeslot (or at any otherpredetermined point during the subsequent timeslot). In accordance withfurther embodiments of the present invention, in case a certain node 15generates a communication and wishes to transmit the communication overthe network 10, but a frame cannot be currently allocated forcommunication (for example, since the network is in the middle of aframe which was allocated to another communication), the communicationmanagement module 110 may be adapted to temporarily store thecommunication in the memory 130, until a frame can be allocated for thecommunication.

Reference is now additionally made to FIG. 4, showing a block diagramillustration of a distributed network in which the apparatus inaccordance with some embodiments of the present invention isimplemented. As part of some embodiments of the present invention, thedistributed network 300 shown in FIG. 4, and in which the apparatus inaccordance with some embodiments of the present invention may beimplemented, may include a central node 310 and a plurality of networknodes 320A-320G. For convenience purposes we describe belowtransmissions in the direction from one (or more) of the network nodes320A-320G to the central node 310. It should be noted however, that thepresent invention is not limited to the management of communication inany one particular direction, and may be used to manage, for example,communications from the central node 310 to any of the network nodes320A-320G or from any node to any other node within the network.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, eachnode's 310 and 320A-320G communication management module may be adaptedto configure the communication module coupled thereto to allocate acommunication frame for each communication within the network and torepeat the communication at one or more of the timeslots of the framefollowing the initial transmission of the communication. In accordancewith yet further embodiments of the present invention, each node's 310and 320A-320G communication management module may be adapted toconfigure the communication module coupled thereto to transmit a newcommunication at the first timeslot of the frame allocated for thecommunication.

For illustration purposes, we will assume that the communicationmanagement module 110 of each of the nodes 310 and 320A-320G isconfigured to allocate a frame for a communication that is to betransmitted from network node 320A and which is addressed to the centralcommand and control node 310, according to some embodiments of thepresent invention. Once a frame has been allocated for thecommunication, node 320A may transmit the new communication at the firsttimeslot of the frame allocated by the communication management modules.We will further assume that, for various reasons (for example, physicaldistance, local interference, etc,), the communication from node 320Amay not be able reach its final destination directly (in this case, thecommand and control node 310). However, in accordance with someembodiments of the present invention, one or more of the other nodes,for example, nodes which are closer to the source node or nodes whichare not affected by the obstruction, may receive the communication. Forillustration purposes we further assume that the communicationtransmitted by node 320A is received by nodes 320C and 320D. Inaccordance with some embodiments of the present invention, thecommunication management module of each of the receiving nodes 320C and320D may be configured to cause the communication modules of the nodesto 320C and 320D repeat the received communication at one or moretimeslots of the frame allocated for that communication.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, all thecommunication modules within the network may be bit synchronized, andthus nodes 320C and 320D may transmit the repeated communicationsubstantially simultaneously. By repeating the communication the networknodes may cause the communication to spread through the network 300.Thus, the communication may eventually reach one or more nodes which areable to directly communicate with the destination node 310, and sincethat (these) node(s) is (are) also configured to repeat thecommunication (assuming that the communication is received before acertain timeslot), these node(s) may also repeat the communication andcause the communication to be received at the destination node, in thiscase at the command and control unit 310.

In the embodiments described above, each communication module within thenetwork, which received a communication during a certain frame, may beconfigured to repeat the communication at one or more subsequenttimeslots allocated for that communication. In accordance with theseembodiments of the present invention, in addition to the node whichinitiated the communication, each of the nodes which received thecommunication during the frame allocated for that communication may beconfigured to repeat the communication at each timeslot following thereceipt of the communication, for example, until the end of the frame.In accordance with these embodiments of the present invention, manyrepetitions of the communication may be transmitted at each timeslot ofthe frame, one by each node which previously received a transmission,causing both an increase in the magnitude and quality of the signal insome places (the typical result) and a deterioration in other places (aless typical result) due to destructive diffraction, for example. Inaccordance with some embodiments of the present invention, in order toimprove the signal amplitude and quality in the places suffering fromdestructive diffraction, each of the communication management modulesmay be adapted to configure the communication module coupled thereto tomodify each transmission or repetition in a manner to limit thedestructive diffraction within the network. Various techniques may beused to reduce the destructive diffraction, including but not limitedto, independently and randomly (or pseudo randomly) adjusting ormodifying the amplitude of each repeated communication by thecommunication module coupled to each of the communication managementmodules 110.

Also as mentioned above, according to some embodiments of the presentinvention, following a repeated transmission of a communication, thecommunication management module 110 may be configured to switch thecommunication module 30 coupled thereto to a listening mode, duringwhich, the communication module 30 is kept in a passive state. Inaddition to the other benefits attributable to the implementation of thelistening mode, maintaining the transmitting communication module in thepassive state may allow a receiving communication module to repeat thecommunication without being interrupted by transmissions from thetransmitting communication module.

According to some embodiments of the present invention, following theinitial transmission of the communication, the communication module ofnode 320A may be configured to repeat the communication up-to the end ofthe frame (or at a predetermined number of timeslots) or until anindication is received that the communication was repeated by anothercommunication module, for example, by the communication modulesassociated with nodes 320C and 320D. In case the communication module ofnode 320A is configured to repeat a communication until it is repeatedby another communication module, once such an indication is received,the communication module associated with node 320A may be configured tostop repeating the communication.

In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, oncethe communication is received at nodes 320C and 320D, the communicationmodules associated with nodes 320C and 320D may be configured to repeatthe communication at one or more timeslots subsequent to the receipt ofthe communication. In accordance with some embodiments of the presentinvention, the communication modules associated with nodes 320C and 320Dmay be configured to repeat the communication at a predetermined numberof timeslots (or up-to the end of the frame) or until and indication isreceived that the communication was repeated by another communicationmodule. However, in accordance with further embodiments of the presentinvention, the communication modules associated with nodes 320C and 320Dmay be configured to continue repeating the communication if the onlyindication of a repeated communication relates to the communicationmodule from which the communication was received, or in this case, ifthe only indication relates to the communication module associated withnode 320A.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, the numberof timeslots included within each communication frame may be determinedin accordance with the minimal number of repetitions necessary todeliver a communication from any of the nodes within the network to adestination node. In accordance with some embodiments of the presentinvention, the destination node for purposes of determining the numberof timeslots included within each communication frame may be aparticular node or a non-particular node, for example, any node withinthe network. For example, the destination node may be a command andcontrol unit, in which case, the number of timeslots to be includedwithin each communication frame may be determined in accordance with theminimal number of repetitions necessary to deliver a communication fromany of the nodes within the network to the command and control unit; orthe destination node may be any of the other nodes within the network,in which case, the number of timeslots to be included within eachcommunication frame may be determined in accordance with the minimalnumber of repetitions necessary to deliver a communication from any ofthe nodes within the network to any of the other nodes within thenetwork.

The discussions below relate to the scenario wherein the number oftimeslots to be included within each communication frame is determinedin accordance with the minimal number of repetitions necessary todeliver a communication from any of the nodes within the network to thecommand and control unit. However it should be noted that, as mentionedabove, the present invention is not limited in this respect. It would bereadily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art how to modify theembodiments of the present invention discussed below in case the numberof timeslots to be included within each communication frame is to bedetermined in accordance with the minimal number of repetitionsnecessary to deliver a communication from any of the nodes within thenetwork to any of the other nodes within the network.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, asmentioned above, each frame may include a predetermined. number oftimeslots. As part of some embodiments of the present invention, theinitial number of timeslots to be included in each communication framemay be determined during the initialization of the network, as will bedescribed in greater detail below. As will be further described below,as part of further embodiments of the present invention, the initialnumber of timeslots to be included in each frame may be dynamicallyadjusted during the operation of the network.

Reference is now made to FIG. 5, which is a flowchart illustration of aprocess of determining the initial number of timeslots to be included ina communication frame, as part of some embodiments of the presentinvention. The process of determining the initial number of timeslots tobe included in each frame may begin by configuring each of thecommunication management modules within the network to allocate a frameincluding a provisional number (n) of timeslots N_(ts) (block 510). Theprovisional number (n) of timeslots N_(ts) to be included in each frame,may be predetermined, and may be, for example, programmed into each ofthe communication management units within the network. However, thepresent invention is not limited in this respect. In accordance withfurther embodiments of the present invention, the provisional number (n)of timeslots to be used may be substantially small, for example, two, inorder to provide an efficient protocol in case only a small number ofrepetitions is needed. As will be discussed below, if the provisionalnumber (n) of timeslots is too small to allow the minimal number ofrepetitions necessary to deliver a communication from any of the nodeswithin the network to the command and control unit, the provisionalnumber of timeslots to be included number will be gradually incrementeduntil it is large enough for the communication to reach its destination.

Once the communication management modules are configured, the centralunit for example, may instruct one of the nodes to create acommunication and to allocate a communication frame for the transmissionof the communication (block 520). The node may transmit thecommunication to the central unit, for example, and if necessary, thecommunication may be repeated (by the source node or by one of the othernodes) at one or more of the N_(ts) timeslots included in the frame(block 530). At the end of the frame allocated for the communication,the destination node may be checked to determine whether thecommunication was received at the destination node during the allocatedframe (at one of the N_(ts) timeslots of the frame) (block 540). Forconvenience purposes we assume that the destination node is the centralunit.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, if it isdetermined at block 540 that the communication was not received at thedestination node during the allocated frame (at one of the N_(ts)timeslots of the frame), the provisional number of timeslots to beincluded in each frame Nts may be incremented by a predetermined number(one or more), such that N_(ts)=(n+1) (block 550), and each of thecommunication management modules within the network may be configured toinclude in each frame the increased provisional number of timeslots(block 560). Once each of the communication management modules withinthe network is configured to include in each frame the increasedprovisional number of timeslots, blocks 520-560 may be repeated over andover again, until a communication is received at the destination node(e.g., the central unit) during the allocated frame. If it is determinedat block 540 that the communication was received at the destination nodeduring the allocated frame, a predefined number of buffer timeslots maybe added to the number (n+1) of timeslots in the frame during which thecommunication was received, such that N_(ts)=[(n+1)+m)] (block 570), andeach of the communication management modules within the network may beconfigured to include in each frame the number (n+1) of timeslots in theframe during which the communication was received plus the predefinednumber (m) of buffer timeslots (block 580).

Reference is now made to FIG. 6, which is a flowchart illustration of aprocess of dynamically adjusting the number of timeslots to be includedin a communication frame, as part of some embodiments of the presentinvention. Initially, a request may be received at one of thecommunication management modules to allocate a frame so that, forexample, the communication module operatively coupled to thecommunication management module may transmit a communication over thenetwork (block 610). In response to the request, a frame comprised of apredefined number (n+m) of timeslots N_(ts), including a selected number(n) of functional timeslots N_(fts) and a predefined number (m) ofbuffer timeslots N_(bts), may be allocated (block 620). Next, thecommunication may be transmitted to its destination, for example, to thecentral unit, and if necessary in order to deliver the communication toits destination, the communication may be repeated as described above atone or more of the timeslots N_(ts) included in the frame (block 630).

The communication management module at the destination node, which is,in this case, the central unit, may be configured to determine whetherthe communication was received, and in particular whether thecommunication was received during the frame which was allocated for thecommunication (block 640). The central unit may be in this case a masterunit and each of the other nodes within the network may be slave typeunits. Thus, the central unit, being a master, may controlcommunications within the network and may be configured to anticipatethe receipt of a communication from a certain node during a certainframe. In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, incase a communication was not received at the central unit during theframe allocated for the communication, the central unit may incrementthe number of functional timeslots N_(fts) by a predetermined number(for example, by one) and blocks 610-640 may be repeated. In accordancewith some embodiments of the present invention, blocks 610-650 may berepeated until the communication is received at the central unit duringthe frame allocated for the communication.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, in casethe communication is received at the central unit during the frameallocated for that communication, the communication management module,for example, of the central unit, may determine whether all thefunctional timeslots were used to deliver the communication to thecentral unit (block 660), as was discussed above as part of someembodiments of the present invention. In accordance with someembodiments of the present invention, if it is determined that less thanall the functional timeslots were used to deliver the communication tothe central unit, the number of functional timeslots N_(fts) may bereduced in accordance with the number of redundant functional timeslots(set N_(fts) to n−y) (block 670). The communication management module ofthe central unit may configure each of the communication managementmodules within the network to allocate from that point onwards (untilthe number of timeslots is next adjusted) frames including the adjustednumber of functional timeslots N_(fts).

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, if howeverat block 660 it is the determined that all the functional timeslots wereused to deliver the communication to the central unit, the communicationmanagement module of the central unit may be configured to determinewhether one or more of the buffer timeslots were used to deliver thecommunication to its destination, in this case, the central unit (block680). In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention,the communication management module of the central unit may beconfigured to determine that a buffer (one or more) timeslots were usedto deliver the communication to its destination if the communication isreceived at the destination during one of the buffer timeslots. Inaccordance with some embodiments of the present invention, if thecommunication management module determines that one or more of thebuffer timeslots were used to deliver the communication to itsdestination, the number of functional timeslots may be incremented inaccordance with the number of the buffer timeslots used to deliver thecommunication to its destination (Set N_(fts) to n+x). The communicationmanagement module of the central unit may configure each of thecommunication management modules within the network to allocate fromthat point onwards (until the number of timeslots is next adjusted)frames including the adjusted number of functional timeslots N_(fts).

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, if it isdetermined that all the functional timeslots were used to deliver thecommunication to the central unit and that no buffer timeslots were usedto deliver the communication to its destination, the number of timeslotsN_(ts) may remain unchanged (block 695).

In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, for thesubsequent communications, the number of timeslots selected above(whether adjusted or not) may be included in the frame allocated for thecommunications until the number of timeslots to be included in eachframe is adjusted.

While certain features of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, andequivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is,therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended tocover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spiritof the invention.

1. A distributed communication network comprising: a set of wirelesscommunication nodes including a subset of repeating nodes, wherein eachof said nodes in said set is adapted to communicate using a frame basedprotocol including multiple time slots; each of said repeating nodescomprises: a communication module adapted to receive and to retransmit acommunication transmitted by another node, such that during a singlecommunication frame said communication module is adapted to retransmit atransmission originating from only a selected transmission source, andthe selected transmission source changes from frame to frame; asynchronization module adapted to synchronize timing on saidcommunication module such that all the repeating nodes have synchronizedtiming; and wherein upon receiving a communication from a selectedsource during a given frame and timeslot, directly or through arepeating node, said communication module is adapted to allocate two ormore subsequent timeslots of the given frame for retransmission of thecommunication, such that at least two repeating nodes receiving the samecommunication during a timeslot of the given frame will repeat thereceived transmission during at least two other timeslots of the givenframe.
 2. The distributed communication network according to claim 1,wherein each of two or more repeating nodes receiving the samecommunication during a timeslot of the given frame will concurrentlyrepeat the received transmission during at least one other timeslot ofthe given frame.
 3. The distributed communication network according toclaim 1, wherein at a subsequent communication frame, a node fromamongst the subset of repeating nodes is a source of a subsequentcommunication and functions as a source node within the communicationnetwork, and the node which functioned as a source node during aprevious communication frame functions as the repeating node during thesubsequent communication frame.
 4. The distributed communication networkaccording to claim 3, wherein the timeslots within each communicationframe are equal in length to one another and each timeslot correspondsto a predetermined fraction of the length of an entire communicationframe.
 5. The distributed communication network according to claim 1,wherein, upon receiving a communication at at least one of saidplurality of repeating nodes, the respective communication module isadapted to retransmit the communication at one or more timeslots of theframe that are subsequent to the timeslot at which the communication wasreceived at the repeating node.
 6. The distributed communication networkaccording to claim 5, wherein the communication module of at least oneof the said subset of repeating nodes is adapted to configure therespective communication module to retransmit the communication receivedat the respective repeating node up to the end of the frame allocatedfor the communication.
 7. The distributed communication networkaccording to claim 5, wherein the communication module of at least oneof said subset of repeating nodes is adapted to configure the respectivecommunication module to retransmit a communication up to a predeterminedtimeslot or until an indication is received at the respective repeatingnode that the communication was retransmitted by a repeating node otherthan the repeating node from which the communication was received. 8.The distributed communication network according to claim 1, wherein atone or more nodes of said subset of repeating nodes, the respectivecommunication module is adapted to alter the amplitude of eachrepetition of the communication.
 9. The distributed communicationnetwork according to claim 8, wherein at at least one of the subset ofrepeating nodes, the respective communication module is adapted torandomly alter the amplitude of each repetition of the communication.10. The distributed communication network according to claim 1, whereinat at least one of the plurality of repeating nodes, the communicationmodule is adapted to switch to a listening mode following a transmissionof a repetition of the communication.
 11. The distributed communicationnetwork according to claim 10, wherein at said at least one of thesubset of repeating nodes, the respective communication module ismaintained in the listening mode for a predetermined number oftimeslots.
 12. The distributed communication network according to claim11, wherein at said at least one of the subset of repeating nodes, therespective communication module is maintained in the listening mode fora duration spanning at least two timeslots.
 13. The distributedcommunication network according to claim 12, wherein at said at leastone of the subset of repeating nodes, the respective communicationmodule is adapted to repeat the communication an additional time only incase that while the communication module was in the listening mode, noindication was received at the respective repeating node that thecommunication was transmitted by yet another repeating node, other thanby a repeating node from which the communication was received.
 14. Thedistributed communication network according to claim 13, wherein at saidat least one of the subset of repeating nodes, said communication moduleis adapted to switch to a standby mode in case an indication is receivedthat a communication transmitted by the respective repeating node wastransmitted by yet another repeating node, other than by a repeatingnode from which the communication was received, or in case the currenttimeslot is later than a predefined timeslot.
 15. The distributedcommunication network according to claim 11, wherein said at least oneof the subset of repeating nodes further comprises a storage medium, andwherein the communication module of said at least one of the subset ofrepeating nodes is adapted to temporarily store a communication ittransmitted while it is maintained in the listening mode.
 16. Thedistributed communication network according to claim 1, wherein at atleast one of the subset of repeating nodes, the communication module isadapted to include in each communication frame a selected number offunctional timeslots and a predefined number of buffer timeslots whichare the concluding timeslots of the frame.
 17. The distributedcommunication network according to claim 16, wherein at said at leastone of the subset of repeating nodes, the communication module isadapted to select the number of functional timeslots to be included ineach communication frame in accordance with the number of repetitionsdetermined to be required to deliver a communication within the networkto its destination.
 18. The distributed communication network accordingto claim 17, further comprising: a central communication unit that isthe destination of the communication from the source node; and whereinat said at least one of the subset of repeating nodes, the communicationmodule is adapted to select the number of functional timeslots to beincluded in each communication frame in accordance with the number ofrepetitions determined to be required to deliver the communication fromthe respective repeating node to the central communication unit.
 19. Thedistributed communication network according to claim 18, wherein at saidat least one of said plurality the subset of repeating nodes, said thecommunication module is adapted to adjust the number of functionaltimeslots to be included in each communication frame in case the numberof timeslots required for delivering the communication from therespective repeating node to the central unit changes.
 20. Thedistributed communication network according to claim 19, wherein at saidat least one of the subset of repeating nodes, the communication moduleis adapted to adjust the number of functional timeslots to be includedin each communication frame in case one or more of the buffer timeslotsare used to deliver the communication from the respective repeating nodeto its destination.
 21. A method of managing communications within adistributed communication network, comprising: communicating, using aframe based protocol including multiple time slots, among a set ofwireless communication nodes, said set including a subset of repeatingnodes; receiving and retransmitting a communication transmitted byanother node, such that during a single communication frame atransmission originating from only a selected transmission source isretransmitted and the selected transmission source changes from frame toframe; synchronizing frame timing such that all said repeating nodeshave synchronized timing; and allocating two or more subsequenttimeslots of the given frame for retransmission of the communication,such that at least two of said repeating nodes receiving the samecommunication during a timeslot of the given frame will repeat thereceived transmission during at least two other timeslots of the givenframe, upon receiving a communication from a selected source during agiven frame and timeslot, directly or through a repeating node.
 22. Themethod according to claim 21, further comprising transmitting a newcommunication at the first timeslot of the frame allocated for thecommunication.
 23. The method according to claim 22, whereinretransmitting comprises repeating the communication through each one ofthe subset of repeating nodes at one or more timeslots subsequent toreceipt of the communication.
 24. The method according to claim 23,wherein retransmitting further comprises repeating the communicationthrough at least one of the subset of repeating nodes up to the end ofthe frame allocated for the communication.
 25. The method according toclaim 23, wherein retransmitting further comprises repeating thecommunication through at least one of the subset of repeating nodes upto the end of the frame allocated for the communication or until anindication is received that the communication was repeated by anothernode, other than by the node from which the communication was receivedat the respective node.
 26. The method according to claim 23, whereinretransmitting further comprises on at least one of the subset ofrepeating nodes, altering the amplitude of each repetition communicationwith respect to any previous communication transmitted by the samerepeating node during the current frame.
 27. The method according toclaim 23, further comprising switching at least one of the subset ofrepeating nodes to a listening mode following a transmission of arepetition communication by the respective repeating node.
 28. Themethod according to claim 27, wherein switching further comprisesmaintaining said at least one of the subset of repeating nodes in thelistening mode for a predetermined number of timeslots following atransmission of a repetition of a communication by the respectiverepeating node.
 29. The method according to claim 28, whereinmaintaining comprises maintaining said at least one of the subset ofrepeating nodes in the listening mode during at least two timeslotsfollowing a transmission of a repetition communication by the respectiverepeating node.
 30. The method according to claim 29, whereinretransmitting further comprises repeating the communication throughsaid at least one of the subset of repeating nodes, while said repeatingnode is in the listening mode, only in case no indication is receivedthat the communication was transmitted by another communication node,other than by a communication node from which the communication wasreceived at the repeating node.
 31. The method according to claim 21,wherein communicating further includes using a frame based protocolwherein a frame comprises a selected number of functional timeslots anda selected number of buffer timeslots which are to be the concludingtimeslots of the frame.
 32. The method according to claim 31, whereincommunicating further includes selecting the number of functionaltimeslots to be included in each communication frame in accordance withthe number of repetitions determined to be required to deliver acommunication within the network to its destination.
 33. The methodaccording to claim 32, wherein communicating further includes adjustingthe number of functional timeslots to be included in each communicationframe, in case the number of timeslots required for delivering acommunication within the network to its destination, changes.
 34. Themethod according to claim 21, wherein a total number of the at least twoother timeslots is equal to a total remaining number of timeslots of thegiven frame, and the two or more repeating nodes will repeat thereceived transmission for the remaining number of timeslots.